By Sean Avery
Columbia Gorge News
HOOD RIVER — Piloting a road-legal, solar-powered racecar they built from scratch, a flock of Eagles took Texas in July, securing a third-place trophy at the annual Solar Car Challenge. Led by founding captain Isabel Ulland, the traveling club team — dubbed the Solar Storms — included 11 students from Hood River Valley High School (HRVHS).
The 33-year-old competition challenges students from around the world to build roadworthy solar cars capable of crossing great distances, while motivating them to increase alternative energy awareness.
From July 14-24, the Solar Storms raced against 24 registered teams, 20 of whom made it to the competition with functioning cars, and 17 who passed the “scrutineering” inspection, to accumulate the most points (miles) in a five-day span, driving 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Representing both HRVHS and the Columbia River Gorge region, they covered 300 miles of wide-open Texas asphalt, capturing third place in the Classic Division of the competition. Despite breaking down multiple times, forcing the Eagles to make fixes on the side of the road, in parking lots, and under the shade of trees, the “Hood Racer” persevered, driving all miles available on the final day’s course.
“Watching this dream cross the finish line on the fifth day of the race was the most rewarding experience of my life,” Ulland said.
Immersed in STEM for most of her life, under the guidance of her rocket scientist father Justin — the Solar Storm’s coach — Ulland has spent years learning to build and code robots. Gravitating towards the hands-on side of designing and fabricating physical systems, however, she wanted an outlet for heavy-duty engineering.
“I wanted to build something larger than the robotics team,” Ulland said. “I wanted to create something that could showcase real-world alternative energy. That’s when the idea of a solar car club took root.”
But the club wasn’t an easy sell during her freshman year at HRVHS; Ulland’s initial obstacle came recruiting people to start one (four is the benchmark). She put up posters, shared her enthusiasm, but no one seemed to budge.
Sophomore year again brought little luck. Ulland hit a low point, questioning whether her peers would want to invest their time building a solar car from scratch.
Things quickly changed during her junior year after a friend approached and inquired about the club. “That spark was all I needed,” Ulland said. “I changed my approach and targeted the incoming freshman class, hoping they’d have more room in their schedules.”
The plan worked wonders, prompting 30 sign-ups at the club fair and 20 attendees at the Solar Storms’ first meeting.
Off to the races, Ulland and crew spent the next several months creating the Hood Racer on computer-aided design, building a full-scale cardboard replica to get hands-on dimensions, and ordering major parts like the motor, controller, and batteries.
The team met in the school cafeteria, continuing work in the dark when the automated lights shut off. When it was time to weld the chassis, they worked in their coach’s garage, using an outdoor fire to keep warm. Finally, the school provided access to its workshop, granting a warm workspace reprieve and great tools.
In the months leading up to the competition, the crew worked three days a week and long weekend days, progressing from a half-built frame to a fully functioning, rolling chassis with integrated brakes, suspension, steering, and mounted solar panels able to drive in the Hood River 4th of July parade.
Suffice it to say, Texas represented a massive payoff — “the experience of a lifetime,” Justin Ulland said.
The Solar Storms’ sponsors included Overwatch Imaging, The Gorge STEM Hub, Gorge Tech Alliance, Google, Columbia Gorge Community College, Magnum Custom Works, Premier Gear & Machine, Sagetech Avionics, and individual donors.
A senior next year, Ulland hopes to race again in 2027 with an improved car and a more experienced team.
For more details on the Texas trip, access a race journal called “The Storm Tracker” at https://hrvhsolarcar.org/race-updates. To donate, community members can visit the HRVHS Club Donations Page.
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